Study Shows Teen Sexting Can Lead to Having Sex

According to a new study, teen “sexting” usually leads to actually having sex.

While past studies have shown that those teens who participate in sexting are more sexually active than those who do not, it has not previously been known which has come first — the sexting or the sex.

“Sexting preceeded sexual behavior in many cases,” lead researcher Jeff Temple said. “The theory behind that is sexting may act as a gateway or prelude to sexual behaviors or increases the acceptance of going to the next level.”

Temple said the act of sexting is merely a normal part of the modern teenage experience and is widely considered to be the new “first base.” He went on to say that parents should not be so quick to take away their child’s phone, as this will not actually stop them from participating in sexual acts.

“This behavior isn’t always new, it’s just a new medium,” said Jeff Temple, an associate professor and psychologist at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, and the study’s author. “But it’s not safe because it can be shared.”